WICHITA, Kan. -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced the start of a statewide local emphasis program aimed at reducing workplace health hazards in the auto body shop industry in Kansas.

Workplace hazards are prevalent in the auto body repair industry. During fiscal year 2004, OSHA inspected 110 auto body shops nationwide and issued a total of 428 citations. Safety and health standards most frequently cited for violations in the industry cover spray finishing, using flammable and combustible materials; respiratory protection; handling, storage and use of flammable and combustible liquids; and hazard communication.

Health hazards often found in auto body work include exposure to solvents, such as isocyanates and other particulates. Under the local emphasis program, OSHA's Wichita office will randomly select for comprehensive health inspections auto body shops in Kansas involved in grinding, painting and sanding.

The agency's goal is to reduce employee exposures to these hazards through education and increased awareness. Training and outreach opportunities will be coordinated by the Wichita OSHA office.

Employers, workers, professional associations and labor organizations may request information on the program by contacting the Wichita OSHA office at (316) 269-6644, or toll-free in Kansas at 1-800-362-2896.

Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. The role of the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

###

U.S. Labor Department (DOL) releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call (202) 693-7765 or TTY (202) 693-7755. DOL is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance.

NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

Thank You for Visiting Our Website

You are exiting the Department of Labor's Web server.

The Department of Labor does not endorse, takes no responsibility for, and exercises no control over the linked organization or its views, or contents, nor does it vouch for the accuracy or accessibility of the information contained on the destination server. The Department of Labor also cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked Web site. Thank you for visiting our site. Please click the button below to continue.